


Creationism

by Dickie_Gayson



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Let's Play, Ender Queen/Scorned Queen Lindsay, F/M, Ghost Ray - Freeform, Godking Geoff, Jester King Gavin, Just King Jack, Mad King Ryan, Mogar, Red King Ray, Righteous Queen Griffon, Warrior King Michael, king AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-01
Updated: 2014-07-01
Packaged: 2018-02-07 00:14:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1877805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dickie_Gayson/pseuds/Dickie_Gayson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It all started with the First, the Allfather, the GodKing Geoff. Then came the Warrior, the Jester, the Just, the Red, and the Mad. It was peaceful in Achievement World, but when power sings to the Mad King, how will the rest fight back? Blood begets Blood, Power tempts even the Strongest, and the GodKing's Crown is the source of the greatest temptation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It all started with the First, the Allfather, the GodKing Geoff. Then came the Warrior, the Jester, the Just, the Red, and the Mad. It was peaceful in Achievement World, but when power sings to the Mad King, how will the rest fight back? Blood begets Blood, Power tempts even the Strongest, and the GodKing's Crown is the source of the greatest temptation. King AU, OOC, No Slash.

With every exhale, he breathed new life into the world. Deft hands molded the landscape, painted the sky and threw stars into existence. Mountains rose from the ball like clay. Water filled in where the hearth had receded, creating a vast ocean and many lakes. Magma boiled beneath the fresh crust, waiting to be released. Wherever he raked his fingers, grass and trees sprung up. With it, came the first animals. They stumbled about, braying, mewing, and crying out with new lungs. Kingdoms rose across the expanses and all was peaceful on the beautiful, infantile planet.  
  
Geoff looked upon it, cradled it in his palm and smiled serenely. Yes, it was magnificent, but it was incomplete. This new world would be his home. For too long he resided among the cosmos, sitting upon a lofty throne of stars and power. For too long he has been alone. Yes, he would make this his true home.  
  
As the planet turned in his hand, he contemplated the six kingdoms. One would be his, marked by a grand monolith and resting in the center of the rest. The other five jutted out from his, like the points of a star. They would be his successors. He stared upon each region, drawing in power from his core and envisioning the five. They would be special; powerful and immortal. He would never be alone again.  
  
Removing his hand from the planet slowly, he grinned as it remained suspended in space. He closed his eyes and felt his body shrink and move rapidly. Almost instantaneously he was hovering above the surface of the planet in the midst of a forest. While still grand in appearance, he was nowhere near as gargantuan as before. He could hardly talk to his creations in such a state.  
  
Waving a hand over an expanse of grass, it melted away and from it came an odd tan stretch of ground, unlike the rest of the world. It looked soft, malleable.  He curled his fingers, as if grasping the air, and pulled it toward his chest. As he did that, the breadth of pliant earth boiled. Shapes grew and fell. A divine sort of energy electrified the air all around. Creatures of the forest, compelled by the sensation, came forth and watched with wide, innocent eyes.   
  
Geoff hovered over the bubbling surface and watched the shapes for a moment before drawing a knife from his belt. He held his hand out, and with a swift, precise movement, made a cut across his palm. Golden blood, ichor, flowed from the wound. He turned his hand and watched his divine essence drip into the mixture below. As a whole, it seemed to shudder, taking on a glow for a moment, before all activity ceased. The wound on his hand stitched itself closed as he drifted backward, granting the supple composite room to work.  
  
The stilled surface broke and five silhouettes began to take shape. From the clay, unfinished arms pulled still forming bodies upward. Legs grew as they drew grotesque, almost shapeless figures skyward. It was almost monstrous to look upon, and many creatures fled from the abominations, but the Allfather did not. He merely smiled at his growing creations. To him, it was a beautiful and magnificent sight.  
  
The first set of lips split and Geoff could hear a ragged intake into nubile lungs. Faces began forming, bodies took shape, and hair grew. They all looked so different, yet they all held the same blood in their veins;  _His blood_. Their eyes were wide as they looked around, seeing the world for the first time. Each seemed so very shocked, particularly upon seeing one another. It made Geoff chuckle.   
  
At the sound, the small crowd jumped and looked at him. Their eyes, if possible, grew wider and they stumbled back from him. It was understandable. They were only just given life. There they stood, nubile and naked, open to any attack. To see him floating there, so much larger than them, draped with a cape holding the night sky and constellations dancing across his armor, must have been unsettling. The sheer power he emitted as well did nothing to ease them. With a slight gesture of the hand, simple clothes covered their bare flesh. It shocked them further, but a look of mild gratitude and awe danced across their faces.  
  
Geoff looked at them, taking note of their appearances and stances. The furthest to the left was somewhat crouched, looking prepared to run if need be. His figure was lean, made for agility and stealth. Beside him was another lean figure, taller and darker in skin tone. He appeared confident, ready for a battle. This one also had a nimble, agile build.  Next to him stood a burly figure with a grand beard. His  stance was purely defensive. From his posture and the look in his eyes, Geoff knew he did not contain a great amount of bloodlust, despite what his large frame might say. Then came a man of medium build. He was on the defensive as well, but the look in his eyes is what made Geoff realize that this one was quite intelligent, perhaps too much so. The brightest are the ones who go mad, and the Allfather knew this one would be the maddest. Finally, there was a male, smaller than the rest, but clearly the fiercest. His lips were pulled back in a snarl, pose ready to strike at any given moment. Yes, he would most certainly be the warrior.  
  
The observations took a short moment. Geoff calmly drew nearer, and as he did so the group collectively moved backward. It almost sounded like the warrior one growled. In a sign of peace, Geoff held up his hands and spoke.  
  
"Calm yourselves. I am not going to harm any of you."  
  
As if his words held power of their own, the group visibly relaxed. He smiled once more before continued.  
  
"Do you know who you are?"  
  
They all looked puzzled as they thought.  _Who were they?_  Geoff waited patiently. They would each find the knowledge in themselves, just as they knew how to speak, walk, and fight. The information is already there, they just need to find it. It did not take long before awareness spread across each of their faces. Geoff merely gestured for the first to speak. He looked startled at all that he learned but after a moment, spoke. His voice held a foreign sort of accent.  
  
"I'm...I'm Gavin Free."  
  
Gavin looked surprised by his own voice. Geoff nodded before looking upon the one next to him. Knowing it was his turn, the man spoke up.  
  
"I'm Ray Narvaez...Jr.?"  
  
He seemed confused about the 'jr' part, causing Geoff to laugh a bit before looking at the next in line.  
  
"Uh, hi. I'm Jack Pattillo."  
  
Then came the next, the one with madness in his eyes.  
  
"Ryan Haywood. Who...Who are you?"  
  
With a benign smile, Geoff shook his head.  
  
"All in good time, Ryan."  
  
He then turned to the last man. It looked as if he were judging whether or not violence would be necessary right now. Giving Geoff and the rest a wary look, he finally spoke.  
  
"Michael Jones."  
  
The five men looked at Geoff expectantly. Despite how much they had relaxed, their was still an underlying tenor of tension as they stood before the deity. As Geoff spoke, it was clear just in the way life around them moved,  _grew_ , that he was the reason they stood now.  
  
"I go by many names, but for now, you may just call me Allfather. I have created you five for very specific reasons. Reasons that I cannot share just yet. First and foremost, I have a task for you gents and lads. Are you ready to achieve it?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an Achievement Hunter AU fanfiction based on their Minecraft Let's Plays. It starts, obviously, with King Geoff. He's 'The GodKing', the First. The ending is rushed with the introductions, sorry.  
> This is only a small preview of what's to come.  
> There is going to be: King Geoff, Mad King Ryan, Red King Ray, Warrior King Mogar/Michael, Jester King Gavin, and, yes, eventually Just King Jack. Also featuring, Edgar the Cow, the Tower of Pimps, the Altar of Pimps, the Nether, perhaps Level 30 Enchantment, Caleb, Lindsay, and/or Kerry. Might come up with something for Caiti, cus she's a wonderful being.
> 
> I will try to incorporate a bunch of stuff they did, but I can't remember everything, so just let me know if there's anything you guys want to me to put in. 
> 
> This is, quite obviously, OOC. Aherpderpderp. As it progresses, they'll get some of their usually character back, but, for all intents and purposes, this is a serious fic.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I go by many names, but for now, you may just call me Allfather. I have created you five for very specific reasons. Reasons that I cannot share just yet. First and foremost, I have a task for you gents and lads. Are you ready to achieve it?"

Geoff watched as they exchanged glances, digesting the information. Michael was the first to step forward, head high and shoulders squared, looking every inch the proud fighter Geoff figured he was.  
  
"I'm ready, Allfather. What's the task?"  
  
At his enthusiasm, Geoff smiled lightly. The others seemed to follow his example. Next to step up was Ryan. He shot Michael a narrow look before staring at the Godking forcefully, as if attempting to draw Geoff's attention away from Michael and directly to himself.  
  
"Whatever you need, I can do."  
  
His words were firm, holding a slight edge to them. An edge that Geoff suspected wasn't aimed toward him, but rather Michael. In turn, Michael gave him an odd look before turning back to face the Allfather. Ray and Gavin stepped forward simultaneously, drawing a smile from Gavin as he chuckled at the coincidence. Then, Jack moved to stand beside his companions, a more cautious look on his face. He clearly wasn't the sort to just rush into battle unwittingly.  
  
Geoff took a moment to look the five over for a second before he spoke.  
  
"I have gifts waiting for all of you. However, I need you each to prove you deserve my gifts. You all must head out into the wilderness and bring me back a token worthy of what you will receive. What you bring back will determine what you gain."  
  
There were gleams in their eyes at the mention of a prize. Determination filled them, burning with the intensity of a flame. Not only did they want to gain a gift from the Allfather, something no doubt powerful, but each of them wanted to prove to their creator that they can succeed, that his efforts weren't for nothing. They wanted to make him proud. None more than Ryan. An almost manic look formed on his face, but he kept it at bay.  _'I will prove to Allfather that I am the best. I am the most worthy of his gifts. I will show him that **I**  am his greatest creation.'_ With a smile, he spoke. His voice was low and smooth.  
  
"Excuse me, Allfather. What are the... _limitations_  on this quest?"  
  
A special intonation was given to his words, and for a moment, his eyes slipped to Michael. He did not like the fierce looking male. He might prove a threat to Ryan and his quests. That just wouldn't do. His eyes snapped back to the Godking quickly, a polite smile on his face.  
  
Geoff was no fool. He could see the distaste on Ryan's face, hear the hidden question in his words.  _'Is killing against the rules?'_  He barely withheld the sigh behind his lips. Instead, he gave a benign look to the man.  
  
"The rules are: Nobody is to go in the same direction. You must all choose a unique path. There is to be no sabotage, maiming, or killing of others. You will also have to use your ingenuity to achieve your goals. I will not be providing you with weapons or armor. That is for you to earn. Are the terms understood?'  
  
There were dark looks on all their faces. No weapons, no armor, nobody to help them. How were they supposed to survive? None voiced their doubts or concerns. Instead, they all nodded. Geoff smiled again.  
  
"Good. Now, when you gather what it is you deem to be a suitable trophy, you are to head to the center of the lands. There you will find a kingdom. If you feel you are lost, merely look to the horizon. The kingdom will be marked by a grand monolith that touches the very ends of the sky. A king will be waiting. Tell him it is I who sent you and present him with what you brought. He will then give you my gift."  
  
Some donned confused looks for a moment. Ray spoke up, voicing the others' question.  
  
"But, wait, you're not going to be there?"  
  
The Godking merely shook his head. This time, it was Gavin who spoke.  
  
"Why? I thought these tokens or whatever were for you."  
  
Geoff smiled slightly, a light chuckle coming from him.  
  
"Just because you can't see me doesn't mean I'm not watching. I have other business to attend to. Don't feel completely alone. If you find yourself in danger you don't think you can get out of alone, just call for me. I'm always listening. Good luck, lads and gents. We'll see each other again soon."  
  
And with that, Geoff vanished. The overwhelming feeling of power and comfort dissipated with him. The five men stood there for a moment, awed at the display. Then, they turned to look at one another. After a moment of silently eyeballing one another, Jack spoke up.  
  
"I guess we should head on our way. I'll take the Northern path. See you at the kingdom."  
  
There was a  _'hopefully'_  at the end of the sentence that he left out. The others bid him farewell and good luck as he turned and left. Ray was the next to leave, taking a dirt road that led East. His parting words were a simple,  _'Well, I'm out. See you bitches at the throne room.'_  It caused a good laugh from the remaining three, particularly Gavin and Michael.  
  
Then it was Michael who left, claiming the Western path and a parting,  _'Later, assholes.'_  Ryan gave a hollow parting to the man, eyes narrowed on the retreating figure. Gavin was more enthusiastic in his departure, his accent making Michael's name sound more like  _'Micoo'_ , prompting a laugh from the distancing warrior.  
  
Gavin turned, a wide grin on his face. Ryan, while less enthusiastic, smiled at the younger man. He had mentally assessed Gavin already and deemed him a lesser threat, if any threat at all. If anything, he'd be the Court Jester in his kingdom. At the thought, his eyes drifted to the grand tower in the distance.  _'One day, it will be mine.'_  
  
His attention was snapped back to Gavin as he spoke.  
  
"I s'pose it's time we stop faffin' about, eh? Good luck, Ryan!"  
  
Ryan gave a smile laugh and nodded in agreement.  
  
"Good luck to you too, Gavin.  _Stay safe._ "  
  
Gavin gave a small salute and a parting  _'Will do!'_  before turning and taking a winding North-Eastern path. That left Ryan at the crossroads, looking at every path and staring at the looming monument. He could feel the desire for it in his veins. Oh, he knew that if he could take that crown, then the Allfather would have to see that he is the greatest of his creations. Ryan's mind simply wouldn't let go of the idea.  _'I'm not his first creation. His first sits upon the throne. It is His favorite. I am not his most beloved. If I take the crown, I'll take his place in more ways than one.'_  A small, malicious smirk settled on his lips as he took one last glance at the monolith before walking down the Southern path. _'It will all be **mine**.'_  
  
Geoff watched the group disperse from the air. His eyes traced each of their destinations, mentally marking where they were heading. They had chosen their path, and it held more weight than they understood. In each area was a different breed of monster. And in each area lay a different kingdom. Whether they knew it or not, they were subconsciously drawn to their rightful thrones.  
  
His eyes drifted to his own kingdom in the center. What he didn't tell them was that he was the King. He was merely in disguise. As a deity, he could not interfere in their lives too much. Even all powerful Gods have limitations. So, he worked around the rules. Transporting himself to his throne, he felt his body change. In many ways he still resembled his divine self, but there were enough differences to pass as a mere mortal recreation of the Allfather. After all, King Geoff was rumored to be the Allfather's first creation, molded to look just as he does. The rumor made him chuckle a bit. It was a good enough cover.  
  
Granted, his powers were severely dampened in this form, but if that's what it took to remain near his creations, then so be it. His unearthly armor changed into a more conventional, albeit slightly futuristic green model. He lost his ethereal glow and seemed to age some years. Although protected by armor, thus making them impossible to see, his arms were covered in several many tattoos. They remained hidden in the presence of others as moving tattoos were not normal on mortals, even ones crafted at the hand of a God.  
  
He placed his crown of gold on his head and sat upon his throne, also completely gold. Knowing no one was around, he unclipped the metal plating around his left forearm, rolled back protective padding, and looked at the map tattoo. He seen five dots, each of a different color, moving down separate paths. He smiled, keeping part of his awareness open to any pleas for help.


	3. The Making of Mogar

The warrior walked down the swiftly narrowing path at a slow pace. His eyes consistently roamed over the terrain, watching for any signs of danger. From the way the trail tapered, he knew he would come to a dead end soon. Then he would truly be on his own. So far, he had seen nothing even remotely worthy to bring to the kingdom. All that decorated the land was foliage, rocks, and the occasional animal; nothing worth a second glance. He scowled in frustration. One thing was for certain, he had a very short temper and that would be widely known soon enough.  
  
Just as he figured, the path came to a halt and left him standing in the middle of a thick forest. He kicked a small rock in irritation. It made a light 'thunk' as it hit the trunk of a precariously tilted tree. In a rash choice, he stalked off further into the woods but kept note of his direction by breaking some of the thinner, low-hanging branches. What kind of impression would it make if he got himself lost on his first trip into the woods?  
  
He was beginning to get tired of scouring the wilderness and coming up empty handed. A sound of mild anger worked itself out of his throat. Still nothing even mildly appropriate to be seen. He muttered to himself quietly in a terse voice.  
  
"Ya tell us to go out on a wild goose chase to look for a fucking trophy or some shit. What fucking trophy? I don't see  _anything!_ "  
  
Just then, as if the Allfather had heard him, Michael heard something large moving in the near distance. He squinted his eyes in the direction of the commotion. Suddenly, a thunderous roar broke through the silence. The warrior paused in his stride, eyes widening.  
  
"Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me."  
  
He could just imagine the Allfather sitting in his throne in the heavens, laughing. A large, brown mass burst through the brush. Michael quickly ducked behind a thick tree and attempted to think up a strategy that wouldn't get him killed. Slowly, he peeked around the lumber, taking in the sight of a very,  _very_  large bear. He may have never seen one before, but something told him that bears aren't supposed to get nearly that big. He ducked back as the monstrous beast turned to look in his direction.  
  
"Son of a bitch."  
  
Michael closed his eyes, taking slow, deep breaths to clear his mind. His nerves began to settle. His hands stopped shaking. He could do this. He  _knew_  he could. A fire began building in his core and spreading through his veins rapidly. His eyes snapped open and he was ready. If there was anything worthwhile in these woods, it would be the pelt of that monster.  
  
He slipped out into the open and got into position to fight. The motions felt as natural as breathing. It was then that the bear noticed him. They locked eyes and the bear growled low in its throat. Then, it stood on its hind legs, dwarfing the warrior easily three times. Michael had to crane his head back to stare it in the eyes. It let out a challenging roar that scared every living creature in the vicinity away except for the warrior. He just sneered at the beast.  
  
"C'mon ya big motherfucker. Give me your best!"  
  
It almost seemed as if the bear understood him. The monster let out another fierce sound and attacked. Michael jumped and rolled out of its path. He felt the ground shake as the beast landed. The bears paws were dug deep into the ground where he once stood. Wasting no time, Michael grabbed a nearby stick and leapt to his feet. Just as he spun around, he noticed the gargantuan monster rushing him.  
  
He crouched, legs shoulder width apart, and waited for it to get to him. It stared him down as it ran. Fury raged in its dark eyes. Michael's face mimicked the beast's intensity. As it got in striking range, it snarled and prepared for another lunge. Michael reared back and kicked the monster in the snout. Its strike halted as it threw its head back in pain.  
  
Michael took advantage of the distraction and ran to a tree no more than two feet from the monster. He jumped at the timber, and once both feet made contact with the rough bark, he pushed off of it as if it were a spring-board and vaulted himself up at a branch. The bear snarled and swung at the branch. As it did so, Michael jumped onto another limb, stick still in hand. Where he once stood shattered under the monster's might effortlessly.  
  
Little by little, he gained more height. Little by little, the beast grew more enraged. No matter how quick it struck, it seemed the smaller fighter was just that much quicker. Soon, Michael was eye to eye with creature. It's lips were peeled back, baring obscenely large and clearly lethal fangs. A steady growl rumbled deep in its chest.  
  
It swung at him again, and he jumped again. This time, however, instead of leaping to another branch, he shot straight out to the beast's head. He landed hard on the bear's shoulder. It stumbled slightly in surprise under the forward attack. Michael gripped around its throat with an arm to keep himself from being flung off. With his free hand, he raised the stick and drove it down into the monster's eye. It roared in pain and its body shook. A large paw swiped at the warrior who so easily took part of its sight from it.  
  
This time, it landed a hit. Massive ebony claws raked from the right side of his face down to the bottom of his rib cage. Pain blossomed immediately and he cried out, more in rage than anything. Had it hit an inch to left, he too would be blinded. Still, he held on and grasped the branch, ready to yank it out and blind the beast completely. The slight jarring of the wood caused the bear to quake as a shock wave of pain hit it. It roared and threw itself sideways into the tree. Again, Michael cried out as he was knocked into the hard surface. The bear whipped backwards and finally threw him off of its shoulders.  
  
He hit the ground hard, driving the breath out of his lungs. As lay there, dazed and gasping, the bear turned and prepared to strike. Michael may not have seen it through the haze of getting his skull slammed twice, but he knew better than to just lie there. He rolled out of the way and a wave of nausea hit him, but he fought back the feeling. The bear struck empty ground once more and made a loud sound of anger.  
  
Michael got to his feet quickly, but had to keep himself from falling to vertigo. Blood seeped into his right eye from when he rolled. It blurred his vision slightly and he cursed out. The bear turned to look at the warrior. The sight of the beast was grotesque. Blood trailed down it's face and a stick protruded from it's now empty socket. Michael wasn't much better off. Thick claw marks ran down the entirety of his right side. His flesh had been torn just as easily as his shirt. Blood ran swiftly from the wounds. For a moment, in certain lighting, the blood seemed to have an almost golden sheen.  
  
They stared each other down once again, both seething with pain and rage. As the bear charged forward once again, Michael jumped back and to the left, behind a tree. He would need a bigger weapon, that's for certain. His eyes darted around as he dodged another strike from the bear. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep this up forever.  
  
As he rolled out of range of yet another charge, he spotted a large branch. It had a decent thickness to it and looked weighted enough to do damage. He grasped it then spun around and swung, nailing the bear in face with an audible  _'thwack'_. It snarled at him then swung and hit Michael in the abdomen. He was sent flying a good few yards before he hit the ground. He made an irritated sound as he jumped to his feet, adrenaline helping him to forget the pain for the moment. As it came at him again, he was prepared.  
  
As natural as it was for him to walk, he attacked with the makeshift weapon. Rapidly, he went from strike to strike. The bear wheeled back, batting at the combatant but not landing a blow. The flurry of movements and sharp pains that proceeded them distracted the beast. It landed on all four with a  _'thud'_ , attempting to get rid of the offending object. Instead, Michael readjusted his grip and swung upward at the underside of the monster's muzzle. The bear's head snapped back at the harsh impact. Michael wasted no time in swinging the branch around and landing an even more impressive blow to the beast's skull. A loud  _'CRACK'_  was heard as the stick broke in two.  
  
The bear let out a pained sound, but swept out a paw. Ready for this maneuver, Michael flipped the stick around, the now sharpened end facing the attack. When the blow landed, the stake was driven into it's paw. In shock, the bear stumbled backward, an awkward movement on only three legs. Ready to finish the fight, he spun around roundhouse kicked the stick still lodged in the bear's socket, driving it deeper into it's skull. The bear cried out, clawed weakly at it's face before it wobbled feebly and collapsed to the hearth, finally still.  
  
Michael's body shook with the after effects of such a large adrenaline rush. Pain started working its way back into his system and he realized how much blood he had lost. His breathing was labored and he was breaking into a cold sweat. Yet, the rush of the fight, the thrill of the kill, the taste of  _victory_  was so intoxicating, he couldn't help but smile. The smile grew, and then he laughed. He laughed loud and hard, drunk on his triumph. Oh, he could certainly live for this sort of excitement.  
  
He looked at his trophy, knowing very well he couldn't drag the body all the way back to the kingdom. His eyes looked to the horizon, spotting the massive tower. Nope, definitely not. Then his eyes drifted to the sticks and a nearby rock. An idea formed in his head.  
  
"Looks like I got a knife to make."


	4. I'm a Creep

Gavin walked leisurely down the winding path with a large grin on his face. A contagious sort of exuberance seemed to radiate from him. Even in the midst of a dark, intimidating forest, surrounded by fierce sounding creatures, a brilliance exuded from the man that even the densest of shadows couldn't snuff out. Try as they might, they would never be able to subdue the future King.  
  
 _King._  It was a grim thought. Truthfully, he didn't care for the power. In fact, it slightly intimidated him to think of what he would be able to do. All those people under his thumb; their lives in his hands. It was frightening. He'd never admit it, but he didn't feel ready. He had been created for just this purpose, was given all the knowledge necessary to be a good ruler upon his making and even held divine blood in his veins. Still, it didn't feel like enough. The others seemed so sure of themselves, so ready to do what they had to and do it well.   
  
Him? Well, he felt like the Allfather had made a mistake somewhere. He just didn't have that sort of drive. Sure, he was a driven man, but only toward his interests. This was not one of them. Gavin preferred to entertain. He liked to make others laugh, make them happy enough to forget their woes, even if only for a moment. As a King, he doubted he'd be able to do that. After all, what King danced around and made himself look like a fool to get a chuckle out of others? It was the jester who did it for the King, not the other way around.  
  
His smile faltered for a moment as he lost himself in thought. Of course, he didn't want to let the Allfather down, so he would just suck it up and try his best, even if he felt too foolish, too restless, and too much a pushover to truly be a king.   
  
Gavin could not see it, nor could the others, but that fervor driving him, that warmth that radiated from him could just as easily turn into an unforgiving inferno. The light in his eyes, welcoming and friendly, could, without a moment's notice, turn into a raging wildfire, given the right prompting. They would call him the Jester King, the Foolish Czar, but in the end, he could very well be the last one laughing.  
  
Bright eyes flicked around the terrain, looking for anything noteworthy. For the moment,  his doubts subsided. He did not like to focus on such negative things. There were enough unhappy people around, he was sure. To push away the uncertainty, he focused on his surroundings intensely. So long as he was busy, he wouldn't be able to concentrate solely on those doubts. They still lingered in his mind, not strong enough to draw his attention away from his task, but just loud enough so that he couldn't fully ignore them.  
  
The area his path had led him to was a dense forest with trees twice his size width-wise and he couldn't even see the tops. The air was so thick with humidity, it was almost tangible to the touch. The flora grew to such heights, he had a difficult time seeing over them. If he had to guess, he'd say he was in the midst of a jungle. It made him grin. Even if there was an uneasiness in the atmosphere, he had to admit that it was a beautiful place.  
  
Gavin didn't have that hard of a time finding something to give to the Allfather. He had figured that it would be a difficult task. He also figured that since the Allfather specifically mentioned not having armor or a weapon that he'd have to fight something. The others may call him a fool all they want, and he may believe it all he wants, but he was not quite as daft as they'd like to think.  
  
To find the creature, all he did was walk in the direction the other creatures were running from. Animals had amazing senses and self-preservation skills. Chances are, if there's several fleeing from one area, there's something dangerous there. He slowed down for a moment and looked around. Before he got to whatever was over there, he'd need a weapon. It would be bad if he was caught unprepared. He wasn't innately strong, so if it came down to hand-to-whatever combat, he doubted he'd make it very far.  
  
After a moment of scrounging and jury-rigging, he had a bolas made from two fist-sized stones and a strip of cloth he ripped from his shirt. He may not be physically strong, but he had spectacular aim. With weapon in hand, he crept toward a small clearing. The uneasy sensation grew exponentially. This is it.  
  
With a calming breath, he slipped into the open field and looked around. Then, his eyes landed on the monster. His jaw almost dropped. He didn't know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't  _that_. Standing at the opposite end of the small field were three odd creatures. Their fur, or what he assumed was fur, was a green brighter than the grass itself. Their eyes were large and mouths down-turned. The oddest thing was their build. Their large heads were held up by a giraffe-like neck, which connected to a body that, by comparison, was almost comically small. Their four trunk-like legs left little room between the monster's body and the ground.  
  
Gavin looked from the monsters to the weapon in his hand and back to the monsters before deciding it would be utterly useless. Their legs were just small enough and just far enough apart from each other that it would have little to no adverse effect against them. It would just be a waste. Instead, he decided he'd just have to wing it.  
  
He crept forward, trying to size up those things and come up with a plan that wouldn't get him killed. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the term  _Creeper_  rose. Those creatures were Creepers. He conceded that the name was fitting. Aside from their creepy appearance, they seemed to creep along since their legs were too small and lacking in joints to properly move the long-necked beasts around.  
  
His attempts to formulate a battle strategy were cut short when the creepers noticed him. One caught sight of his lean figure trying to sneak up close to them and made an odd, menacing hiss. The other two turned and looked at him as well, mimicking the sound. It made him hesitate for a moment. They didn't seem to have any obvious defense mechanisms or lethal offensive features such as claws, aside from a set of fierce looking fangs. Those should be easy enough to avoid. The monsters didn't seem very agile or quick. Then again, if all the other animals were frightened by the creepers, then there had to be something dangerous about them.  
  
The one that had noticed Gavin started shuffling toward him quicker than he thought possible. It still wasn't very fast, but it did surprise Gavin. He couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the scrambling beast. It's legs were moving so quickly but it didn't seem to be going anywhere, and it's head would bob around on top of its ridiculously long neck. It was, to be quite frank, a hilarious sight. He was starting to doubt that these were the things that scared the other animals. If anything, they ran away in fear of dying from laughter.  
  
They were just so silly looking that he couldn't stop laughing. By the time the creeper was within striking range, he was doubled over, nearly in tears. The monster was still hissing, probably insulted that Gavin was just laughing and laughing. Taking a breath, Gavin looked at the creeper. He assumed it'd be glaring at him if it had eyelids, but it seemed to be lacking those.  
"Oh God, this is top. What's up, Greenie? Want me to scratch under your chin? I don't think I can reach that high. You're a ridiculous looking spaff, you know that?"  
  
He probably would have continued if the hissing didn't get twice as loud and ten times as menacing. Gavin didn't feel particularly threatened at this point, but just to be safe, he stumbled to the right a few steps, still laughing. The laughter was cut short when the creeper exploded with the force of dynamite.  
  
It sent him careening through the air and slamming onto the ground with tremendous force. His vision went black for a minute and all he could hear was ringing. When his sight was returning, slow and blurry, he realized just how far back he'd been thrown and that the other two creatures were creeping his way. He tried to sit up but ended up blacking out for a few seconds and falling back down. He still couldn't hear anything but ringing. The entire left side of his body was blackened with what he assumed was soot.  
  
He had a hard time concentrating on the other two coming his way as his vision kept blurring. When he felt good enough, and when those creatures got closer than he liked, he got to his feet before immediately stumbling to his right and crashing into a tree for support. His balance seemed to be completely gone. Whenever he tried to move, he got a sensation of vertigo and couldn't move properly. The ringing didn't help any.   
  
It's then that he noticed his left ear felt oddly warm. Touching it, he felt liquid and his stomach dropped. Pulling back his hand, he noticed his fingers were covered in blood and it all clicked. His lack of balance, the ringing, the disorientation...The explosion had blown out his left ear drum and his right hadn't fared too much better. The realization terrified him. What if he could never hear again? There was a thickness in his throat and his body trembled.  
  
Then his limbs shook, not in concern, but in anger. Sure, he should have taken the situation more seriously, but because of those creepers, he might never hear again. That enraged him. He fought through the swimming vision and dizziness. It was difficult and he could hardly keep from tripping over nothing, but he managed to maintain his balance, for the most part.   
  
It wasn't until the creatures were in striking distance that he realized he no longer had his make-shift bolas. He cursed quietly and tried to find the cloth and rock weapon. His eyes landed on it, which happened to be between the two creepers. The only thing keeping him from rolling his eyes was that he was afraid that doing so would make him completely lose his balance.  
"Bollocks."  
  
He was afraid to try and run and grab it. Not only is there the chance that they could blow before he could get a safe distance away, but he wasn't confident in his ability to run at the moment. For the time being, he'd have to improvise.   
  
His eyes darted all over the place as he stumbled further away from the hobbling creatures. His gaze landed on a river bed in the area he had seen them upon arriving. If he could somehow trick one into falling in, both preferably, he doubted they'd be able to escape and make for easy pickings.   
  
For a moment, he debated on just causing them to explode, but immediately dismissed that idea. Not only did he not fair well last time, but the explosion seemed to completely obliterate any trace of the creeper. How could he give something to the Allfather, or king or whoever it was, if there was nothing to give?  _'Pardon me, Allfather. I'd like to present to you....air. There was a creeper in this air, but, well, it exploded. Sorry.'_  He didn't think that would work out too well.  
  
With renewed determination, he slipped around the trees and kept a wary eye on the creepers. Slowly, he could feel his equilibrium returning to a reasonable state. He was still having a hard time keeping himself steady, but he was no longer out right falling on his face. That, at least, was a good thing. He had also begun to gain some hearing back in his right ear, but the left was still nothing but ringing.  
  
His back was toward the river as he crept along. He didn't trust keeping his back to the creepers. Sure, they were slow, but he also didn't expect them to explode. For all he knew, they could suddenly sprout wings and fly after him. The mental image alone was terrifying. He shuddered and kept a watchful eye on the shuffling, infuriated green monsters. That's certainly something he hoped wouldn't happen.  
  
He picked up a small stone and whipped it at one of the creepers with all his strength. The motion threw him off balance, but he regained his composure just in time to see the rock nail the creature in one of it's eyes. It let out a pained, snarling sound and Gavin cheered at his small victory. The creeper's eye was bloody and clearly useless.  
"Take that, you pissy little piss pot! Now  _you're_  crippled! Oh, what, you want some more? Bring it!"  
  
The creeper hissed and tried to shuffle at Gavin faster. He just kept picking up stones and throwing them at the creeper to make it angrier. Soon enough, it was close enough for Gavin to strike, but he could also faintly hear it start making that weird hissing that the other one did right before it exploded.   
  
He made an indistinguishable sound as he threw himself out of the way. He covered his head, expecting an explosion, but it never came. Peeking up at the creature, he realized that it had stopped hissing. That's when he figured out that it could halt it's detonation whenever it wanted. It had realized Gavin was out of range and stopped itself from blowing up.  
  
Gavin scrambled to his feet and circled around the beast. It was hissing and shuffling, trying to get in range of Gavin, but he was keeping a safe distance away. Once he aligned himself with the creeper and the creeper with the river, he struck.   
  
As quick and steadily as he could, Gavin ran forward. And as he ran forward, he could hear the creeper start hissing in preparation of exploding. He jumped, feet-first, at the creeper and drop kicked it as hard as he could. It was only after he jumped that he realized that the river wasn't one of water, but rather lava. The creeper hissed even louder, trying to speed up it's detonation, but it hit the lava first. It was quickly engulfed and let out a bone-chilling yowl before it was gone. Gavin just stared at the space it was for a moment after standing, then yelled in frustration.  
"BOLLOCKS!"  
  
That's  _two_  creepers he lost. Just as he realized he forgot about the third, he faintly heard hissing behind him. It would have been much louder had he full hearing in both ears. Spinning around, he caught sight of the third one dangerously close and ready to explode. Gavin made a frightened squawking sound as he dove as far away as he could from the beast. He turned around and scrambled backwards a few feet before he felt like he was a safe distance away.  
  
As he stood, he tried to assess the situation. Two creepers were gone, they explode when in the proximity of an enemy, and the river is lava. He grimaced as he tried to figure out what to do. He had to be careful, or he'd lose his prize. Then, he remembered his previous plan to use his bolas and quickly scouted out its position. The creeper was far enough away from the weapon that he could safely retrieve it.  
  
His gaze went from the weapon to the creeper, making sure he wasn't getting to close, before he sprinted to the best of his abilities after it. Seeing Gavin run had the creeper changing its course and scuttling after him. He scooped up the crude weapon and turned to face the monster. It's lack of facial expressions was definitely unsettling, but Gavin was just irritated enough that it didn't both him. He glared at the beast as he swung the weapon around to get himself accustomed to the weight of the rock tied to the end.  
  
The creeper seemed to growl at him, which was as equally disturbing as it's expressionless face. Gavin drifted closer and kept his right side more toward the creeper so he could hear if it was getting ready to explode. Once close enough, he lashed out at the beast. His aim was spot-on. The rock smashed into the creatures face, causing it's head to snap to the left and it let out a guttural sound. Gavin quickly jumped backward to keep it from detonating.  
  
In retaliation, it tried to get closer to blow up on the human who killed his brethren. Gavin, however, wouldn't allow it to gain any feet on him. Then, he lunged again. This time, he struck the long, exposed neck. It let out a choking sound as the rock smashed into it's throat. He hopped back again, preparing for another strike. The creeper was growing more and more agitated at the assault. It was unused to creatures who used such tactics against it. Either animals tried to straight out attack them and it'd explode, killing them both, or they'd all together avoid the creepers.  
  
Gavin jumped in for another attack. He struck one of it's legs in an attempt to prevent it from moving any closer. It seemed to only have a minor effect against the creeper, just as the other two strikes barely wounded the beast. He'd have to find a more effective way than bludgeoning it every so often with a rock.  
  
He glanced behind him and had to do a double take before a small smile lifted his lips. Instead of rushing forward to attack, like the creeper expect him to, Gavin crept backward and made sure the monster followed him.  He slipped into the jungle, eyes fixed on the creeper. It hissed and scuttled after him. Even if these things could kill him just by being near him, he still had to admit that they were seriously amusing to watch walk.  
  
By now, the creeper was in the jungle as well, but Gavin seemed to have disappeared. It looked around, hissing in irritation all the while. Suddenly, it heard a knocking sound coming from up in a tree ahead of it. It looked up and seen Gavin crouching on a branch and smiling. It hardly had time to react before a stone hit it in the face. It growled and tried to shuffle forward quickly. The human may be perched in a tree, but it was still in blast radius. A stick hit it in the head this time, only infuriating it further.   
  
Then, there was a crack and the ground gave out from beneath it. The creeper fell down a deep hole and hit the ground hard. It let out a loud, pained sound. A moment later, and the human was peeking over the edge of the hole with a shit eating grin.  
"Hey, how ya doin' down there? You should watch were you're going next time, you stupid dope. Don't go anywhere, I have a present for you!"  
  
The monster hissed in fury. Gavin was too far up for him to be harmed by the blast. If the monster had a higher level of thinking, it would have realized that it had been tricked. Gavin was proud of himself. He had seen the drop before he entered the jungle and had just enough time to throw a large fern or two over the hole to cover it and scramble up a tree before the creeper caught up to him. By distracting it with thrown objects, he was able to keep it from noticing the horrible cover up job he had done. He had been worried it'd notice the very obvious hole, but he was lucky that creepers weren't exactly smart.  
  
Down the hole, the creeper could hear the human grunting and branches cracking. Then, the light from the top was blackened out by something large. That was all it saw before a sizable boulder was sent tumbling down the pit and onto it.   
  
Gavin stared down the hole with a satisfied grin for a moment before realization struck him.  
"Oh, bugger. Now how am I supposed to get it's pelt?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Each guy will obtain a scar or injury during their 'rite of passage' and it will stay with them through every life and every new body. Michael's got his scars from the bear and now Gavin's got his impaired hearing.


End file.
